Traveling sprinkler



May 4, 1937. L. H. ADAMSON, 2,078,987

TRAVELING SPRINKLER Filed Aug. ll, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. eefiflnzzo'ow ATTORNEY.

May 4, 1937.

L. H. ADAMSQN TRAVELING SPRINKLER 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE TRAVELING SPRINKLER Lee H. Adamson, Brentwood Heights, Calif.

Application August 11,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to that type of sprinkler which is designed to be driven from the force of the water discharged therethrough, not only to throw the water over a large area, but to positively actuate mechanism which moves said sprinkler bodily over the area to be sprinkled.

Among the salient objects of my invention are: to provide in a sprinkling apparatus a primary sprinkler member and a secondary sprinkler member, said secondary sprinkler member being driven by the force of water discharged therethrough and operatively connected therewith for positively revolving said primary sprinkler member; to provide in a traveling sprinkler apparatus a revoluble sprinkler member designed to be driven by the force of water discharged therethrough and operatively connected with the end of a ratchet lever, the opposite end of which lever intermittently operates a ratchet wheel which is connected withand operates a propelling mechanism for moving said sprinkler apparatus bodily over the area to be sprinkled; to provide in a traveling sprinkler apparatus a primary sprinkler member and a secondary sprinkler member, said secondary sprinkler member being operable by the force of water discharged therethrough and operatively connected for positively and intermittently revolving said primary sprinkler member and also operatively connected with cable gripping and pulling mechanism for moving said sprinkler apparatus bodily along said cable; and, in general, to provide an improved traveling sprinkling apparatus with a ratchet mechanism for intermittently revolving a primary sprinkler member or nozzle and intermittently and simultaneously moving said sprinkler apparatus along a course to be sprinkled, said ratchet mechanism being actuatedby a second ary sprinkler member driven by the force of'the water discharged therethrough.

In order to more fully explain my invention, I have illustrated one practical embodiment thereof on the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings, which I will now describe, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view ofa traveling sprinkler embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewtaken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cable gripping and pulling mechanism with the top plate removed therefrom;

Figure r is a sectional view taken on the .line i-Qoi Fig. 3, with the top platein place;

Figure 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, with parts broken away showing the ratchet mecha- 1934, Serial No. 739,440

nism for operating the primary sprinkler member and for intermittently propelling the apparatus;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on line l-1, of Fig. 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modification of a portion of the apparatus.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, my invention as here illustrated for descriptive and explanatory purposes,.includes a carrier body it, having a liquid conduit H therethrough, with means for connecting a source of liquid under pressure therewith, as at H2, in this case being a hose coupling.

A cross member l3, secured to the underside of said carrier body, has carrier wheels M, I, mounted thereon, with a caster, or swiveled carrier wheel, it, under the end of the body.

A secondary sprinkler member, here shown as consisting of two arms or pipes it, Hi, secured at their inner ends to a T-fitting ll, screwed on to a revoluble bushing E8, on a fixed pipe or nipple i9, screwed into said body, as at 19', in communication with the liquid conduit .H. In the upper end of said pipe I9 is a valve member Eli, having a screw .stem 2!, working through the T-fitting ll, with a hand wheel 22, for regulating the amount of liquid to be discharged through the secondary sprinkler member, composed of the members it, it, as will be understood from the showing. Suitable packing is shown at i8, with holding ring us therefor. V

Mounted on. the revoluble bushing i8, is an eccentric element 23, having a groove or channel formed in its periphery, to receive the forked end it, of a lever 25, hereinafter referred to.

Screwed into said carrier body til, .at the other end; as at 26, is a bearing pipe or tube 27, upon which is revolubly mounted a bushing member 28, the upper end of which has secured thereto a primary sprinkler nozzle or member 29, with suitable packing 30 and packing'ring 3i, with lock ring 32, to prevent leakage.

Mounted on said bushing member 2a, and keyed thereto, as at 33, is a sleeve 34;, having at its lower end an annular flange 34', which supports a ratchet wheel or rim 35, having a base plate 36, all secured together to turn with said sleeve 34 and said revoluble bushing member .28. I

The operating lever 25, at the ratchet rim is provided with a hub-like portion 25', turning on the sleeve 3i, said lever being secured to said hub-alike portion 25 by screws 31. A flanged collar 38 is placed over said sleeve 34 and rests down upon said hub-like portion 25 and serves as a bearing for a top plate or cover 39, which extends out over the lever 25 to the bushing l8 at the secondary sprinkler member l6, IS. The operating lever 25 is oscillated under this cover plate and the ratchet wheel 35 is turned thereunder as said lever is oscillated, by means of ratchet dogs, now to be described.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and '7, these parts are shown in larger views. Four operating ratchet dogs, all designated 40, are shown pivotally mounted between two segmental plates 4! and 42, secured under the end of said lever 25, with said ratchet dogs 40 positioned within the ratchet Wheel or rim 35, whereby to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel as said lever 25 is moved back and forth. It will be noted that said ratchet dogs are circumferentially spaced so that but one dog is fully seated in the ratchet teeth at one time, the others being so related that a very slight movement, about one-fourth of the distance between two teeth, is sure to engage fullyto move the ratchet wheel. Each dog is normally pressed outwardly by a coiled spring 40, seated in the dog at one end and at its other end seated in a curved rim portion between the carrying plates 4|-42, as seen in Figs. 5 and 7, designated 43.

Mounted on the base plate 36, of the ratchet rim and within said ratchet rim 35, at opposite sides of the operating dogs, are two sets or pairs of holding dogs, 44, 44, and 45, 45, similarly mounted and similarly operated by the springs 44' and 45 for preventing said ratchet rim from being turned backwardly, Figs. 5 and 6. These holding dogs 44 and 45 are also suitably spaced so that they will catch and hold the ratchet wheel after each slight turn, as will be readily understood from the showing.

I will now describe the cable gripping and pulling mechanism, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and also shown in its relationship to the ratchet wheel in Figs. 1 and 2.

Mounted on the main bushing 28, of the primary sprinkler, under the end of the sleeve 34, which turns thereon, is a sprocket gear 46, between two bearing plates 41-48, with a gear ring 49, slightly larger and bolted to said sprocket wheel 46. A sprocket chain 50, runs around said sprocket wheel 46, and thence around an idler sprocket wheel 5!, between said plates, 4'! and 48, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus giving a short straight course of travel for said sprocket chain along which is shown a wire or cable 0, again referred to. Each link of said sprocket chain carries a pivoted shoe, 52, having a straight, grooved outer face 52, positioned to receive the said cable C.

Also mounted between said bearing plates 4l48, are two spaced sprocket wheels, 53 and 54, having a. similar sprocket chain 55 running thereon, with similar shoes 56, to cooperate with the shoes 52 on the sprocket chain 50, whereby said cable C is gripped between several pairs of said shoes, in the grooves thereof, as said sprocket chains are driven from the main bushing 28, to which said sprocket wheel 46 is keyed, as at 46', Fig. 4. With the small sprocket wheel 53, is mounted a small gear 5'5, in mesh with the larger gear 49, whereby said small gear 51 is driven from said larger gear 49, and drives said short sprocket chain 55 intermittently with said longer sprocket chain 50.

The two small sprockets 53 and 54, and the small gear 51, are carried in two bearing plates 58 and 59, movable between the top and bottom plates 4! and 48, as will be seen in Fig. 4, said plates 41 and 48 having elongated openings at 41 and 48 to permit slight movement for the purpose of regulating the tension of the grip upon the cable C, this inner carrier structure being movable by means of a screw 60, operating in a member BI, and connected with a member 62 on said movable carrier structure composed of the plates 58-'59, with a leaf spring 63 yieldingly connecting said screw mechanism with said movable carrier structure for moving the sprockets 53-54 and sprocket chain 55, to determine the tension of the grip of the shoes 56, 56, upon the cable C, against the shoes 52-52. The position of this cable gripping and pulling mechanism relative to the sprinkler structure is shown in light broken lines in the plan view, Fig. 1, with the cable C, in place. A guide 64 for said cable is shown at the secondary sprinkler end, Fig. 1. Thus the entire sprinkler apparatus, as a unit is intermittently moved along said cable as said ratchet wheel and the main bushing 28 is actuated by the lever 25.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I have shown a variable stroke eccentric which consists of an inner eccentric member 65, eccentrically and revolubly mounted in an outer eccentric 66, whereby the outer and inner eccentrica can be adjusted relative to each other for the purpose of varying the stroke of the outer eccentric 66. A set screw 61 is shown for securing the two together after the desired adjustment has been made. The outer eccentric 66, it will be noted, is provided with a peripheral groove 66' to receive the forked end 24 of the operating lever 25, when a variable eccentric is desired to be used.

The use and operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows:

Assuming that the supply hose for water under pressure is connected at I2, and that a cable is stretched across the area to be sprinkled and is threaded through the cable gripping and pulling mechanism, as indicated in Fig. 1, the water under pressure in conduit ll of the carrier body will be discharged through the secondary sprinkler mechanism, driving the arms l6, IS, in such a way as to drive the eccentric 23, and thus oscillate the power or operating lever 25.

The water is also being discharged through the primary sprinkler member or nozzle 29. The actuation of the lever 25 operates the ratchet wheel 35, through the ratchet dogs, 49, 4E and holding dogs 44 and 45, and from the ratchet wheel the primary sprinkler is intermittently rotated andthe sprocket chains 50 and 55 are driven, their shoes gripping and pulling on the cable C, with the result that the wholesprinkling apparatus is moved intermittently along said cable toward the place at which it is anchored. The tension on said cable is regulated by the adjustment screw 60, which moves the shorter sprocket chain and its sprocket wheels toward and from the longer sprocket chain 50.

Thus from the secondary sprinkler, operated by the discharge of the water therethrough, a primary sprinkler is intermittently rotated and the apparatus is moved intermittently along a cable stretched across the area to be sprinkled.

I am aware that changes in details can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, limit the invention to the showing, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sprinkler'apparatus including a carrier body, means for connecting a source of water supply under pressure therewith, a primary sprinkler nozzle rotatably mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel concentrically connected with said primary sprinkler nozzle for turning the same, acable gripping and pulling mechanism mounted on said body and connected to be driven by said ratchet wheel, whereby to grip and pull said body along a cable, a ratchet lever pivotally connected at one end concentrically with said ratchet wheel and having operating clogs there on for intermittently moving said ratchet wheel and said primary sprinkler member and saidv cable gripping and pulling mechanism, a secondary sprinkler member mounted on said body and operable by the force of water discharged therethrough, an eccentric operated by said secondary sprinkler member, and operating connectionsbetween the free end of said ratchet lever and said eccentric, whereby the operation of said secondary sprinkler member positively drives said primary sprinkler member and said cable gripping and pulling mechanism for intermittently moving said sprinkler apparatus bodily.

2. A traveling sprinkler including in combination a carrier with water conduit and means for connecting a water hose thereto, two vertical tubular members on said carrier, spaced apart longitudinally thereof, a primary sprinkler member mounted to turn on one of said tubular members as an axis of rotation and to receive water therefrom, a secondary sprinkler member mounted to turn on the other of said tubular members as an axis of rotation and adapted to be rotated by the force of water discharged therethrough from said vertical tubular member, an eccentric element rotatably mounted on said vertical tubular member and adapted to be rotated by and with said secondary sprinkler member, a ratchet mechanism mounted concentrically around said primary sprinkler member for turning the same, a ratchet lever provided with means for turning said ratchet mechanism and said primary sprinkler, and means connecting the other end of said ratchet lever with said eccentric element on said secondary sprinkler, whereby said secondary sprinkler element, driven by the water discharged therethrough, drives said eccentric element and oscillates said ratchet lever and intermittently turns said primary sprinkler element.

3. A traveling sprinkler including a carrier body with means for attaching a water supply hose thereto, a vertical tubular member mounted on said body and communicating with said water supply, a primary sprinkler nozzle mounted to revolve on said vertical tubular member and connected to receive water therefrom, a secondary sprinkler rotatably mounted on said body to turn on a vertical axis and spaced on said body from said primary sprinkler, said secondary sprinkler being connected with said Water supply and adapted to be driven by the wa ter discharged therefrom, means on said carrier body for pulling on a cable to move said body along the line of said cable, said means being operable intermittently with the operation of said primary sprinkler nozzle, and a lever connected at its free end with said secondary sprinkler and operable thereby for intermittently turning said primary sprinkler nozzle and said cable pulling means, whereby to move said carrier body.

4. A traveling sprinkler including a body having a water conduit therein with means for attaching a water hose thereto, two vertical tubular members mounted on said body and connected with said water conduit to receive water therefrom, a primary sprinkler nozzle rotatably mounted on one of said vertical tubular members, with means for mechanically turning the same thereon, a secondary sprinkler member rotatably mounted on the other of said tubular members and adapted to be driven by the force of the water discharged therefrom, and carrying an eccentric element, an operating lever connected at one end with said means for mechanically turning said primary sprinkler nozzle and its other end connected to be oscillated by said eccentric element on said secondary sprinkler member for intermittently turning said primary sprinkler member, and means operable with said primary sprinkler member by said operating lever for causing said body intermittently to be moved bodily.

5. A traveling sprinkler including a carrier body on wheels and having a water conduit therein with means for attaching a water supply hose therewith, a primary sprinkler nozzle revolubly mounted on said body and connected to receive water from said water conduit, said primary sprinkler nozzle being mounted to'be mechanically and intermittently revolved, a secondary sprinkler member mounted on said carrier body at a space therefrom and adapted to be driven by the force of the water discharged therefrom, said secondary sprinkler member having an eccentric member turning therewith, an operating lever having a fork at one end pperated by said eccentric and at its other end operatively connected with said primary sprinkler member for intermittently turning the same, said connections including a ratchet and pawl, and means also operated by said oscillating lever for causing the bodily movement of said carrier body on its wheels.

6. In a traveling sprinkler, in combination, a carrier body with water conduit therein, means for attaching a hose thereto, two vertical tubular members connected with said water conduit on said body and spaced longitudinally of said body, a primary sprinkler nozzle mounted revolubly on one of said vertical tubular members, a secondary sprinkler member mounted revolubly on the other of said vertical members and designed to be driven by the force of the water discharged therethrough, an operating lever with ratchet and pawl at one end for intermittently turning said primary sprinkler nozzle, the other end of said lever being adapted to be oscillated by said secondary sprinkler member, and means on said carrier body and adapted to be connected with a cable for moving said carrier body, said means being oper able intermittently by said operating lever.

7. In a sprinkler mechanism, in combination with a body having a water conduit therein and means for connecting a hose thereto, a primary sprinkler nozzle rotatably mounted on said body and connected to receive water from said conduit, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said body with one end connected for intermittently turning said primary sprinkler nozzle, a secondary sprinkler member revolubly mounted on said body and designed to be driven by the force of water discharged therethrough from said conduit, an eccentric cam driven by said secondary sprinkler member and engaging the nozzle.

8. In a sprinkler mechanism, in combination,

a body, means for connecting a Water hose therewith, a primary sprinkler nozzle rotatably mounted on said body to receive and discharge a major amount of water therefrom, a secondary sprinkler member rotatably mounted on said body and designed to be rotated by the force of water discharged therethrough, said secondary sprinkler member being driven at a continuous speed, a lever with ratchet for operating said primary sprinkler nozzle, an eccentric cam turned by and with said secondary sprinkler, the free end of said lever being adapted to be oscillated by said eccentric cam.

LEE H. ADAMSON. 

